A Scarred Heart,  PART I:  The Widow
by ArizonaSivy
Summary: This is my story about Scar's reign and the cause of his madness- the females in his life. Part one is about the king's relations with Sarabi  but has others in it, too . I firmly stick to canon! No made-up characters.
1. Consolation

**AN:**** We all love TLK 1 & 2, but when we wanted something more than those movies showed us, Disney gave us a tale of Simba, carelessly wasting his life in the jungle. That was… unsatisfactory. So, I thought that it would be interesting to focus on the tragic character of king Scar, and what happened during the long years of his reign. This here is the first chapter of part 1. We start off a month after Mufasa's death. If you like it, there's gonna be more, but be warned- I'm not a native English speaker (or writer), so there may be some errors.**

CHAPTER 1 - Consolation

It has been an extremely enjoyable month. The most enjoyable one in the life of Scar- the new king of the Pride Lands. When he took the throne after his brother's 'oh, so tragic' death, everything he had ever dreamed of became reality. At last, there was no one to tell him that he is the weaker, the lesser and in ever ways worse than Mufasa. Now Scar was the master, and everyone around just had to submit. He loved it. He loved lying around on top of Pride Rock, observing his subjects- to watch the lionesses coming back from hunting, the packs of hyenas waiting to carry out his every order, the hordes of other animals existing only to fill up his stomach one day… Sometimes he even purred with content, when in the time between naps he would admire the genius of his own plan, and all of the benefits, brought by it's proper accomplishment…

Dusk was beginning to fall. The blood-red sun was slowly disappearing beneath the horizon of the savannah.

Scar was woken up by moaning sounds made by the hyenas. The lionesses are back- he thought. After lifting himself from the ground, he stretched and yawned widely. Judging from the noises of his filthy grunts, he recognized that yet another time the hunt has been successful. That was a good thing, because he was already quite hungry.

He made a few steps and stood on top of the Rock. The hyenas were barking, howling and laughing, almost ripping the lionesses' pray straight from their mouths, as they tried to defend in order to save something for themselves. Suddenly, above the howling crowd, there came a vicious roar. The wild dogs that were standing around groaned and withdrew with hunched tails. Scar raised his brow.

Of course, that had to be Sarabi. She never let anyone disrespect her, and after the death of her dear mate and beloved son (oh, what a terrible tragedy!) her mood became extremely… delicate. The king watched the lioness ascend Pride Rock slowly, with a lowered head. After a moment she stood in front of him with a large chunk of meat in her fangs.

-Here you are, Scar – she said silently, putting the prey on the ground.

Bringing him food was specifically her duty, that he himself imposed upon her. He was satisfied with her catch.

-Why thank you, Sarabi. You did a good job… - he paused.

The lioness sitting in front of him lowered her head to the ground and afterwards gave away a deep, sorrowful sob. It lasted quite a while, and for a minute she couldn't stop crying. At first Scar thought about sending her away, but finally he rose and came close to the, after all, fresh widow. He spoke with a voice as smooth as butter… but not as fake, as usual.

-Oh, Sarabi, my dear sister-in-law… Please tell me what is the source of your suffering?

The lioness raised her head. She tried to overcome the tears, but it was very hard for her.

-It's… the hyenas. One of them… had the nerve to tell me… that the meat I brought might be as tasty as… Mufasa's meat was!

The queen broke down in tears. That repulsive derision made even Scar grimace with disgust.

-Those stupid dogs… - he growled.

The king surrounded the weeping lioness with his paw, she embraced him and put her head on his shoulder.

His good mood left him immediately. For a brief, very brief moment he remembered a certain scene from his cubhood. There he was, sitting alone in some bushes, crying. His father, Ahadi, had sent him away explaining that he is to busy training with Mufasa and that he didn't have time for him. That day Scar, whose name was still Taka at this time, ran far away from Pride Rock, so that no one from the family could see his sorrow. Suddenly he heard a voice coming from behind him, calling his name.

That was Sarabi. He ordered her not to approach, but she was so friendly… She asked him why he was crying. He answered, that his father is always ignoring him and favoring Mufasa. Then that little pale-haired cub just looked at him with those ruby-red eyes filled with compassion, smiled and hugged him with sincere kindness. Just like he himself was hugging her now.

He rapidly chased that memory away.

-Do not cry, Sarabi. You know well, that your mate's body was laid to rest in peace. The hyenas will pay, I promise you. Here, take the meat. Eat it yourself or feed the rest of the pride. I suddenly stopped being hungry.

Scar lifted up her head and wiped the tears from her face with his paw. The queen calmed herself. She released him from her embrace and approached the scrap of meat.

-Thank you… - she whispered.

The king did not answer. He went inside the cave, where he angrily laid down on the ground, only to fall asleep moments later.

**May you eternally shower in beer for every review!**


	2. Punishable Disrespect

CHAPTER 2 – Punishable Disrespect

The sun illuminated Pride Rock slowly. The lionesses were just preparing for the morning hunt, astonished that Scar, who usually slept until dinner, was already awake. He was now looking from above on the still snoring packs of hyenas, what seemed as if he was waiting for something. He noticed his pridemembers observing him.

-What are you staring at? Don't you have a hunt to take care of?

He waited for all of them to disappear from the range of his sight. Then he roared, so suddenly that the sleeping legions whined with shock. His voice echoed widely above the Pridelands.

-SHENZIII!

He didn't have to wait long. After a while three hyenas appeared, coming from behind the rocks. Their legs shook when they approached him, even Ed wasn't laughing. Scar looked at them acutely with his emerald eyes.

-Only you! – he growled, and walked away towards the entrance to the cave. He stopped and turned around. The leader of the hyena pack tried not to quiver with fear in front of him, but she could not hide it. Good, thought the king.

-Yes, Scar? May I know why exactly do you call for me so early in the morning? – she sat down and was scratching her ear with her hind leg.

-I would let you continue to lay around if I didn't have important business concerning you, now wouldn't I? – at the end of the sentence he snarled at her with anger, and the shine of his fangs made her turn away.

-What? What's the matter?

-What have I told you about mentioning my brother's name? It is forbidden! You know that perfectly!

Shenzi looked surprised.

-But I didn't say…

-I'm not talking about you! Can't you take care of your pack?

The hyena sat with her mouth open, still not having a clue what was all the fuss about.

-I don't have any idea what your problem is, Scar.

-Oh you fools… - the lion started to walk to and thro. He often used to do that when he was angry. – I'm giving you time till evening to find out which one of your numb-minded canine tribesmembers was telling stupid jokes about my brother yesterday in Sarabi's presence!

The expression on Shenzi's face changed from surprised to irritated.

-Ey, Scar! I don't think you fully understand the role I have in my pack. I may be their leader, but my task is not to be runnin' around, watchin' everyone, makin' sure they all say the right things!

-I don't give a damn! You are to find out which hyena was mocking Sarabi. Now leave, and don't even think of coming back without than knowledge!

Despite the king's yelling, Shenzi laughed. That made him even more furious.

-Do I bloody amuse you?

-Ha, Scar! Now I know what this is all about! You ain't worried that someone's talkin' 'bout Mufasa… You're worried that someone's talkin' nasty to that old giraffe, Sarabi! – the hyena was rolling with laughter. – Hee-hee, poor ol' widow! And to think that YOU'RE the one who's sayin' this! You, who personally disposed of her mate and son…

Scar roared hearing these words. Shenzi's hair stood up on her neck. She immediately felt that she said too much.

-Get out! NOW! And if you ever mention that again, I'll have some other bitch take your place in that stinking pack of yours, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?

The hyena ran away as fast as she could, her tail between her legs. In a blind amok, she passed Banzai and Ed, who were standing at the bottom of Pride Rock, without even noticing them.

-Ey, what's up with her? You heard how the boss yelled at her? I bet Shenzi got herself in a lot o' trouble, huh, Ed? – laughed Banzai. His strange companion answered, as always, with a wave of obsessive giggling.

**AN: So, in my story, Shenzi is the leader of Scar's hyena army, and she's also Banzai and Ed's sister. I h****ope I managed to imitate their accents. The hyenas'll appear later on in the story, too. I hope you're not offended by the strong language, 'cause there's gonna be more of it XD. Next chapters explain the complicated relations of Scar and Sarabi.**


	3. What do you think, Sarafina?

CHAPTER 3 – What do you think, Sarafina?

The midday sun was scorching with all of it's might. Most of the inhabitants of Pride Rock were napping deeply, trying to sleep through the worse heat. That especially concerned the lionesses, who were exhausted after the morning hunt, as usual.

Only one of them couldn't sleep. Lying on a rock, she was observing Scar from a long distance, while he was lazily tearing the leftover meat from the bones of a zebra, which she had caught earlier that day.

The new king, contrary to his brother, never hunted by himself. He usually excused with all kinds of illnesses. Consequently, the whole job of feeding the pride, as well as the hyenas, belonged to the lionesses.

He is so withdrawn- thought Sarabi. He was like that all his life. Even Mufasa wasn't able to reach him…

She watched Scar laying on the ground and falling asleep. Everyone was most happy, when he slept. Then there was peace.

-Eh, Taka… now you have what you were always told will never be yours… Will you be able to carry that burden? – she whispered to herself.

-What are you saying, Sarabi? – the lioness who laid beside her, her closest friend, also wasn't exactly asleep.

-Oh nothing, Sarafina… I'm just wondering what the future holds for our pride…

-Hmf! Under Scar's reign our future seems rather dark and cloudy. – the lioness tightly cuddled her little sleeping daughter, Nala. She always had a very sober view of reality… sober, yet cold.

-Oh, but it isn't all that bad…

-Is it? Well, I believe that skinny feline over there is the laziest lion in the whole savannah, and probably the worse king this land has ever seen!

Sarabi took a moment to meditate on her friend's words. She knew Scar well, contrary to the other lionesses, who always used to stay away from him. He himself also usually despised being in their presence…

-I still think that you are being a bit to harsh in judging him. Give him some time. You know that recent events were very hard for all of us.

-Hm… Well, Scar seemed to have dealt pretty well with Mufasa and Simba's death, especially with himself claiming the throne afterwards! Oh, Sarabi… I just miss the times, when your mate was king. And Nala still can't stop missing Simba…

A long silence followed. The lionesses had agreed long ago, that they should seize to pointlessly recall the old days and try to live as best as they could here and now… but they couldn't.

-We need time. – finally said Sarabi. –Time will heal our scars. Mine, yours… and his, too.

Sarafina rolled to the other side.

-I have no idea what you still see in him.

The queen raised her sight towards Scar. She liked to watch him when he was asleep. It reminded her of the happy times, when both of them were still cubs.

-And what do you think, Sarafina? Can't you see any good in him at all?

-Hmm… - the lioness thought deeply on how to answer. Scar was weak, skinny, lazy, arrogant, impulsive, cynical, rude… -There is only one thing I like about him, and that is his mane.

The two friend laughed simultaneously.

-Yes, that definitely is a good feature… - said Sarabi. She laid her head on the rock.

I will never be able to guess, what is hidden inside you, Taka – she thought. She fell asleep, and her dreams were peaceful and pleasant.

**AN: Eh, girly talk…**** I wanted to give Sarafina a chance to finally express herself XD. I support the theory that Sarabi used to be Taka's friend once. She's so kind-hearted that she still continues to justify him, although she certainly isn't the dumb and blind kind. So will time heal the scars? That's still ahead of us. And yeah, it's true that in real life the lion with a darker mane tends to be more popular among the females in a pride…**


	4. The Law of Levirate

CHAPTER 4 – The Law of Levirate

-Scar… Scar! Wake up! – Sarabi tried to pull the king out of the land of sleep as delicately, as she could.

-Ooh, go away…

-Scar! It's me! – she whispered. – We need to talk.

-I told you to leave me alone…

The queen leaned down and touched his cheek with her muzzle. Scar growled and opened his eyes, but he immediately relented seeing who is trying to wake him up.

-Sarabi…

He looked straight into her scarlet eyes. Their sight improved his mood. He rolled to his back and stretched like a little kitten.

-Why, good morning, dear sister-in-law! I didn't expect you in such an early hour. I hope you do not intend to ask me to go anyplace… My back, you see, is particularly sore today…

Sarabi couldn't recall how many times had she heard that 'backache excuse' from him.

-I'm concerned about that pain of yours. Are you suffering from it for a long time now?

Scar frowned.

-Oh, I'm quite sure you do not want to hear about my little illnesses… but yes, you're right, my back has been bothering me for years now. It was from that moment… - he stopped and sighed deeply.

-… when you got your scar? The buffalo incident, right?

If it were any other pridemember who mentioned this, he could expect a very violent reaction from Scar. In relation to Sarabi however, he just rolled his eyes and said:

-Yes, indeed.

-Oh you poor thing… maybe you want me to go get Rafiki?

-What? The ape? I do not want to see him on Pride Rock ever again, understand?

He turned to face the queen. Immediately, he felt regret for raising his voice on her. She lowered her head. Scar came close to her, and delicately stroked her back with his tail.

-And what if we… came back to the times, when you were the one, who used to take care of me, hm? You didn't need any baboons at that time, neither anyone…

He smiled. Sarabi hardly ever had the chance to see him smiling, so she also took a happy expression.

-Hm, lay down, ok? Let me just bring you something to eat…

-No! No… stay, Sarabi. You've got everything I need right here…

He came even closer. She was astonished when he nestled into her neck, and then started to fawn and rub against her.

-Ooh, Sarabi… I know, that you are lonely… I know you miss… him…

-Don't you?

He became crestfallen hearing that question. Having withdrawn, he looked in her eyes.

-My dear, please believe me, that my brother's tragic death was… the most significant event of my entire life. But… let us not mention those dreadful things, all right?

He embraced her again and pressed onto himself with strength, although he felt that Sarabi was insensitive to his caresses. He whispered into her ear:

-I have to confess something to you. I know that you alone from the whole pride will hear me out.

-What do you want? – she answered with an uncertain voice.

-Oh please, don't be so tense! We two have a lot in common, you know. I am lonely as well… you lack something as I lack something… Someone... We can… fulfill ourselves…

She withdrew her head and looked him in the eyes. In his dark, emerald eyes, constantly filled with insatiate desire… They scared her. When he put his paw on her back, she jumped away.

-What's the matter? – asked the lion.

-N… nothing! Nothing, Scar… it's just that… It's still to early for me.

The king took on a concerned expression. He raised and started circling around her.

-Oh but Sarabi, why worry! Think of how much we can give to each other. You can finally become a rightful queen again! There is a certain tradition, you know. A custom that's been out of use for years now, although once it was a common thing. If a deceased king had a brother, he was obliged to take care of the widow. This way the lonely queen was protected, and the line of the descendants could be preserved…

Sarabi was turning her head. One could sense great anxiety in her voice.

-No, Scar! It is still too early for such talk… I… didn't get over Mufasa's death yet…

The lion halted. He lowered his head. Sarabi noticed him swinging it, as well as clawing the rock.

-Mufasa… Why must I CONSTANTLY hear that name, even after his death!

He turned around, and the queen was terrified with how he looked. He was boiling with fury.

-You LIER! You've fooled me!

-Scar… what are you…

-SILENCE! I can not believe that you're doing this to me again, Sarabi! It's the same as years ago, when you would come to me. I thought you wanted to console me. I thought you were my friend! Such foolishness! All this time you were deceiving me only to choose Mufasa in the end, am I not right? He was always the better one, even for you! Admit it!

The lioness was crying. She felt her heart brake.

-Scar… Taka… How can you…

-My name is not Taka! I refuse to continue hearing your lies! Again, even after my brother's death, you pretend sympathy towards me only to betray and humiliate me in the end!

Sarabi rose and started to run away. She wanted to be as far from him as possible. From his anger. She felt awful.

-Why? Oh, why…? – she wept.

Scar walked around his cave, roaring and growling. A minute later he noticed, that someone has made a great mistake wanting to talk to him at this time.

-Hey, you!

It was Nala, still only a young cub, but seemingly insolent above her age.

-What have you done to Sarabi, you big brute? Now she's crying!

The king roared and ran up to the little one.

-SHUT UP, or I'll have the hyenas tear you apart, like they should have done a long time ago!

Nala, frightened, ran away and hid behind the back of a lioness, who was standing nearby. It was her mother, Sarafina. Cuddling her shivering daughter, she looked at Scar with a sense of endless disdain.

-I was right about you, 'king'. Your heart is as black as your mane.

**AN: 'The buffalo incident' takes place in 'TLK: A Tale of Two Brothers'. What did Sarabi want from Scar when she woke him up? I have no idea XD. **

**So, it didn't work out between the two of them… Tragic, but do****n't tell me you didn't see that coming! Sarabi ain't queen Gertrude from Hamlet, that's for sure. **

**This is the last chapter of part I, but keep reading! Will Scar's 'insatiate desire' finally be fulfilled? 'A Scarred Heart - Part II: The Huntress' will tell you more!**

… **and remember what that old Chinese prove****rb says: **_**'he who comments, is awesome' **_**XD**


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